Magazine

Compass: 5 contemporary galleries

Vitamin Creative Space Guangzhou, China

Founded in 2002, the Vitamin Creative Space art gallery is characterized by the dual position it performs in the chinese contemporary art gallery circuit: independent gallery on one side, dedicated to the promotion of emerging talent and ideas, institutional gallery on the other, for the trade of artists well known and established. The second supporting the first one. The works on display wisely mixed ideas and suggestions of contemporary life with the lead of the ancient history of China. You can find it at Room301, 29Hao, Yi Heng Jie, Chi Gang Xi Lu, Guangzhou, China. ?www.vitamincreativespace.com

Rodeo Istanbul, Turkey Initially focused on the production of greek, turkish and cypriot artists, Rodeo has now expanded its initial proposal, wth an increasingly international offer, ranging from traditional works to performance art, for a more and more established reputation in the world of avant-garde contemporary art. Rodeo is in Lüleci Hendek Cd. No. 12, Istanbul, Turkey. www.rodeo-gallery.com

White Cube London, United KingdomOne of the most quoted contemporary art galleries in the world. From its exhibition spaces have passed, as emerging artists, people like Damien Hirst, Tracey Emin, Marc Quinn. Owned by the art dealer Jay Jopling, at this moment has two spaces in London, the first in Mason's Yard and the second in South East London (especially near Bermondsey). As for the famous venue in Hoxton Square, East London, it was closed at the end of 2012. Someone has got to define it as a "blue-chip" gallery (blue-chip is a term used to indicate the listed companies with the highest market capitalization: the blue chips are those which are assigned the value higher). What is certain is that an artist on display in its spaces is certainly a name to bet on for the future. whitecube.com

Gagosian New York, U.S.A.The chain of galleries owned by Mr. Larry Gagosian (defined in 2004 by the British magazine Art Review, as the biggest art dealer in the world) counts among its ranks, now, four galleries in New York - two of the which are located on Madison Avenue (at the 980 and 976), one on 24th street, at number 555, and one on the 21th, at 522. Among the artists on display within the walls of these galleries you can remember, Richard Serra, Ellen Gallagher, Damien Hirst, Anselm Kiefer, Ed Ruscha, Julian Schnabel and Andy Warhol. www.gagosian.com

WHATIFTHEWORLD Cape Town, South Africa?Founded in 2008, is currently located in a ex synagogue in the neighborhood of Woodstock, a former industrial area of Cape Town, now at the center of a work of redevelopment. Originally, the name Whatiftheworld indicated a small collective, now followed by a second generation of emerging young artists. The aim of the gallery is to provide maximum support and maximum visibility to the best talents of the contemporary South African scene. Whatiftheworld is located at 1 Argyle Street, Woodstock, 7925, Cape Town, South Africa. ?www.whatiftheworld.com